Unprepared
by BSoho
Summary: Jet Link oo2 hasn't been answering his calls lately and now the line is disconnected. Albert Heinrich oo4 visits the young American to check up on him. First fan-fic, Link x Heinrich- mild language
1. Stormy New York Night

.::Disclaimer(s)::.

Cyborg 009 was originally written by Shotaro Ishinomori.

Yaoi style- Don't like boy on boy action, I suggest you hit that back button right-about now.

Late at night the windows rattled at the apartment complex as the winds whipped around the tall structures. Rain poured down tapping against the window's faintly as sirens wailed out in the distance, shouts could be heard, music and rhythm, noise everywhere. Jet Link (oo2) rolled over in the cold apartment with a shiver, unfazed by the constant commotion outside of his apartment. Now reaching over for the blanket he'd kicked off early on in the night. As he leaned, he slowly lost his poise and fell to the floor the empty glass from this evening falling on his head waking him up from his unsettled sleep. He shook his fist at the nightstand and got up slowly rubbing the new bump on his head with a sour look about his face. A strip of light folded over him and across the room from the light of the city; as he stood up. He stood tall in his dingy grey boxers; which he pulled up now and sleeveless black shirt wandering near the windowpane and pulling open the blind in the middle to look out. He wanted to evaluate the time and the weather. The blinds slapped back together when he pulled his hands out.

"How long will it stay like this, I sure could use some of oo9's (Joe's) optimism right about now. Christ, I can't even tell when it's morning or night anymore; I really hate this damn weather. It's fucking depressing." He spoke allowing his words to stand in the room as if he expected someone to answer and confirm what he'd said. Slowly he made his way back to his bed and stopped short. He spaced out for a moment and then shook his head as his stomach growled. "I should probably grab something to eat." He said to himself looking up, "I could really use oo6's (Chang's) left over's." He let out a short laugh; as he moved toward his closet he slipped over some mail he'd forgotten to move earlier. He remembered as he was falling backwards with a faint recollection of throwing it down carelessly when he'd headed to bed. He wasn't really paying attention to the fact he was in motion backwards, causing him to land on his back; his legs posed awkwardly in a ditzy fashion. He was still half asleep when he'd slipped, so he hadn't the cognitive mind enough to land properly. This woke him up though and all he could do is laughed at it all. He couldn't even stand it anymore he was lonely he was not much of a house keeper and he was going to starve to death if he didn't learn to cook anytime soon.

He got up and turned the lights on; they flickered for a moment and then stayed on dimly. "De-pressing…" He muttered and then bent down picking up the papers. Most of it mailing advertisements; in addition the mail was about a week old. As he sifted through it two letters stuck out however. "Airmail?! This looks like it came from Germany. oo4 (Albert) must have..." He trailed off then continued in a delayed thought process. "Who else do I know would send mail to me from there?" He said in an exasperated tone. "As if that guy didn't get enough pleasure from badgering me back when we fought together." He took the letter, turning it over and placed it on his night stand with a little more effort than needed-slamming it in other words.

He continued to thumb through the mail now. Having neglected it for a week he had a lot to look through. "Two letters in one day, geese? I generally never get mail from the others. I wonder what oo9 wrote, I never get mail from him." He placed this down on the night stand as well he was going to read it after he grabbed something to eat. He then took a glance at the rest of what he had in his hands and then ripped it down the middle tossing it in the trash can with a content grin over his face from the satisfaction from ripping the mail up.

"Hmn~" Feeling like he has forgotten something important, he turned to his closet to get dressed. "Gah~!" He had left almost all his cloths at the Laundromat aside what he'd worn earlier that day. "How could I have left everything there?", Exclaiming out-aloud running to pick up his discarded cloths from earlier picking them up fast, tugging on his pants hopping on one foot. Quickly looking and kneeling down picking up the shirt and shaking it out and placing on his jacket taking a second glance at the mail and then turning off toward the door grabbing his keys on the old dresser top. He ran out of his bed room sliding to the door from his socks lack of grip; quickly slipped his shoes on without much effort feeling like there is something off and looking down. "This really isn't my day now is it?" Jet has successfully managed to place his shoes on the wrong feet. "I'm starting to wonder if I'm lousing it. All this solitude, I wonder if I'll ever get use to it." He wanted to be alone so much when he worked with the others. Aside, oo3's (Françoise's) company which he grew to admire; he had found himself longing for everyone's company now. Even the possible arguments between Albert and himself, over what seemed to be the most dismal of things. This was hard for him to believe that he could even miss the man out of any of the group. What he had to do now though was focus on getting to the Laundromat as fast as possible.


	2. Envelopes

.::Disclaimer(s)::.

Cyborg 009 was originally written by Shotaro Ishinomori.

Yaoi style- Don't like boy on boy action, I suggest you hit that back button right-about now.

* * *

So there he stood in the doorway of the Laundromat soaked head to toe from the torrential down poor outside. He made his way over from the door to the driers he'd used in the late noon, with a content sigh seeing his belongings in there. There was only one person sitting down at the Laundromat; she looked up at him from her news paper giving him a good look over shaking her head and returning to reading the news paper. Jet thought to himself relatively annoyed after the analysis the crude woman had given him. She had already stared at him for a while when he stood at the door out of breath from running in the rain. 'What're you lookin' at? Take a picture it'll last a lot longer.' He wanted to say to the 'fat cow' he thought. He kept to himself pulling the cloths out; which had retained a warm feeling. He gave an exasperated sigh while pulling them out and did what he had to heading back home. He did his absolute best to keep the cloths from getting wet; to no avail.

He walked inside and looked around stating the place, "looked like a dump". He hung up what was wet; then started picking up things here and there turning on the radio in the process and placing a towel over his head drying his hair off looking like a real tangled mess now. He let the towel hang around his shoulders and took his pants off hanging them over an open door. He then proceeded by cleaning up around the apartment. After he'd gotten in the mood from just picking up his clean clothes; he figured he couldn't sleep with things the way they were anyway and 'it wouldn't hurt to fix up the joint a bit', as he thought to himself as he pushed a stack of pizza boxes to the side closer to the trashcan.

The morning sun rays broke through the sides of the closed blinds sooner than he had anticipated. The radio station predicted rain all throughout the day, so he happily pulled the blinds open letting in the vibrant sun light in through the dull windows, enjoying it while it would last. As he toiled away cleaning his apartment up from the sudden bug that had gotten into him over the events of last night's clothing incident which compelled him to go on the massive cleaning spree. When he was just about ready to finish drying the last dish in the apartment; he thought about the letters he had left alone on the night stand in his room. He had nearly forgotten them; now full of excitement over opening them. He put the plate down and would let it air dry by its self; lousing all interest in cleaning now.

"I wonder what they could have written about." He walked over to his room; sunlight shining through making him feel better and less irritated as he felt the night prior to. He picked up the letter from Joe. "Oh man this thing looks like it was written a few weeks ago." Feeling very unobservant from when he looked them over briefly when he'd slid over them; feeling guilty now. "Let's see, let's see … darn thing is nice and difficult to open; geese!" Fumbling with the letter; trying not to rip the contents inside the envelope.

'Dear Link Jet,' he was reading to himself; seating himself down on the side of the bed now. "He still writes my name backwards." Shaking his head slightly laughing lightly to himself; he continued on getting to the bottom of the letter. "Wonder why he didn't just call me to tell me they were all going to be in America next month. Guess oo9 would have a big phone bill if he called me all the way from Japan though." He placed it back on his night stand and noticed the little letter from, Albert. The date on this too was already a week old. He opined it quickly seeing the urgent stamp on the front finding it really strange now that he'd not even noticed this earlier. He didn't like that he'd gotten letters either; he was starting to wonder why no one had bothered to call him first. He shrugged off his lack of noticing the brightly coloured urgent stamp on Albert's letter and began opening. 'Dear Jet, Called you, but your phone doesn't seem to work properly. Joe told me he tried to call you several times now and hasn't heard from you either. He sent a letter to you a few weeks ago and is surprised you haven't tried to contact him or any of us for that matter. Hope everything is alright if you don't reply back by next week I'll come over early before the rest of the group flies over to meet up with us and see if things are working out for you there. With regards, Albert Heinrich' He placed the letter down with a groan at the letters words. "Why now… wait what's the date on this again!?"


	3. LostLoveForebidden: Untasteful

.::Disclaimer(s)::.

Cyborg 009 was originally written by Shotaro Ishinomori.

Yaoi style- Don't like boy on boy action, I suggest you hit that back button right-about now.

His stomach growled now in discontent with his priorities. "I should call up oo4… Knowing him he's already halfway to New York though." He sat holding his head feeling dizzy from not eating a thing in several days. He had a job so it wasn't like he couldn't afford to eat. Although he was on vacation and prior to the time off he had been so busy during the work week everything sort of lost its place and its motivation to keep him focused. He hadn't any left to keep going every day, so every day was the same old thing; a generic routine that seem infinite. He found himself less hungry as the days went on leading up to the overly confused night he'd had. He stood up promptly and quickly placed his hand on the table from the sudden rush. "That settles that, I've cleaned this place, I've got time to burn before I have to head back to work; although I get the feeling they've cut me and I'm not going to spend them starving now. I'll eat first and then figure out what's wrong with the phone later…" He stood there pensively and looked into the trash bin with a notice for the phone bill he managed not to rip with the rest of the mail. "D'oh!"He pulled it out and placed it on the table leaving something brightly coloured object next to it to grab his attention when he came back; feeling really irresponsible at the moment for not using his head better. "I gotta get outta this funk."

With this he slowly made his way back to his closet placed on a fresh change of clothes after washing up in the bathroom first. He checked the time just to reacquaint himself to outside world. He then made his way to the closet pulled out a descent set of cloths, as descent as he had wanted them to be at least. Putting on his 'Sunday's best' as they say; he walked to the front door pulling his keys out of the jacket pocket. As he closed his door, he felt a familiar presents behind him and turned around, he gasp bumping backwards right into his door with a light thud which flew open allowing him to fall flat on his back again. Feeling a bit of pain run down his spine from the soreness caused by the fall of last night; it was nothing compared to the times when his jet's cut out in the sky and he plummeted down to earth, but it wasn't too comfortable in any event. Looking rather caught off guard, but not surprised to see, Albert standing there with a small suitcase in hand and a lopsided frown on his face. Albert's expression soon changed to a more lively stair from Jet's display he'd put on before him.

Albert looked at him puzzled waiting for him to say something first; looking worried and it showed in his eyes. "I got that letter."Jet said as he stood up slowly brushing himself off not giving, Albert eye contact. "I would have replied if well I'd actually seen it when it came though." Albert looked at him with a very curious/ disappointed expression. "You know we were really starting to worry about you. Why aren't you contacting any of us- do you dislike us all that much?"Albert's eyes cut through, Jet's unorganized and seemingly irresponsible behavior/ actions. There was disappointment with concern written all over, Albert's face. Jet wanted to start explaining, but hadn't any idea where to. "I really haven't had the time to start reading my mail and," Albert just watched his 'young' friend he himself almost stunned at his words. Picking up on the rest of something Jet was saying not giving it his full attention, because he was just too disappointed. "I threw out the phone bill with some of the mail. My mail came all at once and had been going to the wrong address for the last month or so… and uh…well I just kind of went through it late at night. " Albert's expression lightened up now and had a slow moving grin take over his face. "This doesn't surprise me anymore." Rolling his eyes realizing the young man had just been careless, as if the guilt ridden, Jet didn't feel bad enough he now stood there completely confused too by his commentary.

Jet gestured to the opened door; he figured that Albert might as well place his suit case down. The explanations weren't helping right now anyway and they were just irritating him now as he was trying to be open about what he'd been going through. Jet closed the door so they could deal with the suit case later. "Well if you can predict me so well Albert; why did you come all the way out here, run out of things to do in Germany?" Albert laughed coyly causing, Jet's face to show more irritation as, Albert began to talk only to be interrupted by, Jet's stomach growl. This caused the man to chuckle lightly to himself, "same as usual." Jet's expression went from just irritated to irritated and mildly embarrassed by the stomach growl, "What's that suppose to mean?" He inquired; Albert cast his smug smile ever so lightly and took a step back to give space to, Jet. The more time he spent talking to him the more he started to relate to him. Checking up on the young man was his way of making amends with the other oo Cyborgs from his lack of communications as well, although his was by choice. Not of negligence which he noticed was the case for, Jet.

Jet now walked forward; it queued, Albert in to follow him to the stair case as they passed the elevator which looked to be broken down again. This now just being tenth time this week. Albert finally started speaking directly as he followed behind Jet with poise. "Well after I hadn't heard from you as well the others I opted to check up on you." Jet looked back at him, he commented, "So now you're my father?" With a sly grin on his face opening the door at the end of the seemingly endless stair case walking forward and holding the door for Albert. Albert made no comment on his remark taking it as a grain of sand. However he felt a tad uneasy now. He decided to clear the mood by asking what he had had been doing all this time now that he was alone and back in the city as he'd wanted to be.

"So, Jet…" Jet turned his head to, Albert with a bored expression. "Yes…" Jet amused himself by attempting to be remotely polite for kicks. He was rather shocked inside on some unregistered level that, Albert would come all the way out there from what seemed to be a good life in Germany just to check up on him 'early'. Realizing he could have just waited another week to join the others that would be flying over to America for some reunion of sorts. Albert cleared his throat; the heavy smog clearly bothering him a bit. Jet looked at him trying to figure out if he'd been sincere or if he was just trying to start something, he answered carefully, "Well, slow moving, but aside the mail problem things here have been alright." He lied about it being alright, he missed the others. "It takes some time I suppose to get use to being by one's self again after all the closeness that was once held by all of us workin' together as a force against..." Jet trailed off, Albert stood still taken aback a little by how, Jet felt. Thinking the hot head headed guy would have just said something short and simple. He really was assessing who he was with again gently being reminded of something Hilda once said in the past having the same nostalgic expression. "Oh... I see." Was all he could say, feeling bad for not having anything better to say at this point.

After sitting down at the end of the bar of a dinner they'd walked to; they were given menus. "Anything you want" Jet turned to; Albert inquiring if he'd wanted anything to eat. Now the young man looked like he could just die any minute now, the lack of sleep set in from last night and he looked like he felt pretty unhappy for not having better reasons for not taking care of things more responsibly. Between the phone and the letters he'd not gotten he should have stayed in contact with the others. Jet was thinking as he waited for the man's answer; growing impatient slowly.

However he'd done all he could, the once so lively young man, Albert had met seeming so depressed and lost in despair. Over what he hadn't any idea he didn't really think the youth was so out of place for they way he'd handled things. He'd thought, Jet looked alright at first, but realize he was strangely out of character for how slow paced he was taking in things now. Even how he had come up to, Jet at his apartment was strange of him to be so caught off guard. He'd looked like he'd given up that everything in life now as he sat next to him; frazzled was the best word for, Jet's expression. Everything came to a grinding halt inside. He snapped out of his thoughts when, Jet now asked again if he'd wanted anything this time there was a small spark of angst in the youths eyes, Albert had become accustomed to see in the young man's eyes in such a way when conversing with him. A small wave of relieve rolled over him thinking, Jet was probably tired and that he would be alright. "Why not" He answered like it was a 'what's the worst that can happen if I say yes right' type of moment. Jet winced a little at his way of answering. "You seem too quiet for your own good." It was almost, Jet's duty to pester, Albert into a never ending dialogue that'd been sparked the man's light anger. No such luck today for him, Albert kept mostly to himself as he did with the majority of the other oo Cyborgs.

Jet sat upright not trebly taller than the man next to him, Albert took this in as a side note. He'd never really noticed how tall, Jet was or how fit, because for all the time they'd spent together in the past, Jet was either in the sky, bickering with him acting like his normal hot-headed self or just doing his own thing apart from each other. Why would they notice how they look? They sat there not saying a word and the mood was broken by a very loud clap from, Jet as he smacked a spider in front of him. Albert thought at first, Jet had taken to, Joe's Japanese way by thanking each meal before you and saying, 'itadakimasu'. Although what he said next changed his mind fast. "Fuck that thing was huge!!!" Jet swung his arms down the spider landing on the napkin on his lap twitching looking like someone's lost pet (tarantula). Albert twitched; face grimacing at the size of the spider, Jet had just killed. "Well that was unexpected." He looked around as if expecting more to start dive bombing them. Jet started laughing, not too terribly loud and the waitress came back. "Is everything alr- oh my word! I'm so sorry I'll get you a fresh order hope you didn't get that from your meal!" Without even given Jet a chance to say no, she'd taken the dish of food away. "Ha well that defiantly was something I needed- not." He wrapped up the spider in the napkin and pulled out a new napkin the waitress had left behind. Jet now turned to, Albert. "You don't look so good, what's up?" Albert looked up as if he'd been beamed down from a space ship, finding it ironic that the young man would say he doesn't look well; sense Jet himself wasn't looking any better. Not an expression Jet was accustomed to, was now showing on, Albert's face. "You're starting to worry me, Al. Are you afraid of spiders?" Jet started to grin, Albert decided to roll with this sense he'd been hoping to see Jet in a better mood given how down, he had seemed earlier. "Just a bit…" He said placing a small waver at the end to add to this 'act of fear', "never really liked the darn things." Jet slapped his back empathetically and chuckled. Albert felt like he'd just set himself up to some prinking later on in his life from the young man. Everything settled down and they finished their meal; they paid and left politely.

They walked out both confused with one another not understanding how things could be so awkward between one another right now. Jet wanted to start speaking, but, Albert interrupted him as he did and then he wanted to let, Jet which caused, Jet to interrupt him. Between mixed emotions and frustration, Jet was feeling tired of this. He finally piped up, "Alright, alright, alright-"Jet shook his head as if he now was about to start some long speech. "This is getting too uncomfortable for my tastes!" Albert was surprised at how blunt; Jet could be about things; although he admired it in some ways.

Despite having that pleasant revelation he felt a few drops of rain with his muted sense of touch. He looked up; his expression said it all. He really didn't want to be in the rain; he face a lot of rainy days in Germany lately. "Follow me, I know a short cut." He grabbed, Albert's hand and Albert knew that his mechanical hand felt nothing, but needless he felt so warm, so happy that that the young man was pulling him by his hand. The feeling traveled through him. Feeling or no feeling in his mechanical arm; he followed him obediently now, his arm almost like a leash following, Jet like a lost puppy. His baby blue eyes fixated on the back of the red heads back. Although these emotions were not new he never liked to own up to them.

Jet seemed confused now, because he stopped and realized he'd now gotten them completely lost in lower, Manhattan. He laughed feeling stupid at how he could get lost in his own city; how could he get lost in his own city. He knew every back street, every building and every dark alleyway. He had not even acknowledged he was still holding his comrades hand; which to, Albert really didn't matter where they were. It was just so nice that he just continually held his hand; in a nearly protective way. Now Jet turned to him pulling his hand subconsciously, Albert's face painted with a very light shade of colour in the cheeks; looking flushed. "Are you out of breath, Al?" Jet looking rather surprised at his comrade; who had such a flushed looking expression; this made, Albert gain a more normal a pale expression at his remark. Jet let go of his comrade's hand wondering what that was all about; he now began to admit that he thought they may be lost, "Well I didn't think it was possible... but uhm. Well-" Albert interrupted with a grin on his face, "You have no idea where we are, do you?" Albert wasn't really unimpressed as much as amused by this, Jet could tell too and it aggravated him all the more. His face turned red, looking down he shook his head. They were soaked now and where cold as well. The rain had gone from a few drops to a down pour during their epic little journey. A shiver ran over him and, Albert without hesitation approached, Jet to warm him up. "What…are.. you doing?" Jet gave, Albert this nauseated expression with a flare of curiosity twisted in it. Albert had absolutely no idea what he was doing though, he backed away with a very funny expression on his face, more over confusion and guilt that just didn't settle well with his soft tired looking eyes. Jet could just not help, but laugh at his expression and the rain on top of it all. Albert looked relieved and Jet placed his arm around his shoulders all buddy-buddy like.

"If it weren't for moments like this and that expression I think I'd just be at home moping alone." Albert didn't realize he'd made a face that would have humored, Jet. Although it took the heat off the awkward moment he'd created for himself. Jet didn't like moments like these and would do almost anything to make them humorous or at least take the edge off them. So he did, although, Albert himself was just trying to comfort the young man with his actions. He felt oddly comfortable doing so too; which was the kind of feeling he'd understand if, Jet was a woman. He realized these actions were just causing tension; although he wanted to be close to the young man. He was beating around the bush mentally going over things making sure he didn't over look anything; he just didn't want to even acknowledge it himself. These emotions were 'wrong' in some sense by, Albert, but why did he feel the need to do this. He had control did he not?

So there they stood, two "grown" men out in the middle of New York City with no idea where they were at and not exactly where they were heading either. "It could be worse" Jet said, now putting optimism on this odd situation. "We could be lost somewhere where neither of us has been to." Albert had to agree with this, although he brought up a logical thought, "Couldn't we just look up where we are? We all have - …" Albert didn't like to think of it, but they were all programmed with maps and they were always able to update them off the satellites. Although the idea of programming wasn't really a pleasant thought in his world and judging by the look on, Jet's face his too. However, "Well that's an idea," he knew where, Albert was going by that sentence and respected that. Jet stood there and made a quick determination on where to go now and the fastest rout. "Well now I know." Batting it off trying to be as positive as possible he wasn't going to let himself appear down and out anymore he didn't like it. This time it wasn't Jet who went for, Albert's hand. Their hands met as if a small magnet pulled them together, Jet kept his eyes avert from, Albert's face realizing this wasn't the manliest thing to do out there in the world. Although it was an effort he realize was made on both their parts this time. This caused wonder as well as a small warm feeling run over his face. The kind of feeling that reminded him of a warm summer breeze brushing over his cheeks.

As they walked up the stairs toward Jet's apartment they let go of their hands. Like an unspoken dialogue ran past them. Sure they could converse by opening a channel with their minds or just spoke it aloud- However, they didn't need to. Slowly he unlocked the door and let, Albert in after walking in, they gave each other no eye contact. Not that Albert wasn't willing to give, Jet any eye contact, however he felt this was a fleeting effort now. Not even sure what he wanted and one he possibly shouldn't peruse to understand or want. Although something made him just want to try once more. He at least didn't want there to be no dialogue and to be staying there in an almost unwanted burdensome way. He turned around; Jet wasn't behind him he'd realized he'd slipped by him while he was in his thoughts again. "Jet" He called out apprehensively as he cautiously walked by the bathroom. He heard the water rushing in the sink and opened the door slowly; now feeling obtrusive. Jet however didn't notice him and was washing his face. Albert found his expression approachable, so he walked in. He really wasn't accustom to doing what he was doing, but he kept on going, he couldn't stop himself now; almost as if drawn in by some magnetic force. However what he did next caught both of them off guard.

He'd coaxed the young man away from the sink, pushed him up against the wall and had his lips firmly pushed up against his; his hands moving down the side of his body. Although as if that weren't enough that their lips where melding together, their bodies as well were pushed together by him. Jet's eyes were wide and despite how they'd never age he'd always retain a teenager's innocence in some respect heart, Albert admired it. Jet was trembling, but slowly placed his arms around Albert's waist. He wasn't sure if this was some horrible allusion from not sleeping and if he'd passed out on the ground now having this nightmare. Although it was very real once he found himself looking forward now sitting on the floor taking in a breath of air stunned. His face felt like it was on fire. His heart was throbbing as was, Albert's. He could tell from the glow on the man's face enjoying the expression and the feeling he'd given him. They waited for the other to do something, to say something. Neither did for a while the tension ran high.

Jet stood still mind whirling and approached, Albert who had an expression in his eyes that looked guilt ridden. He now felt whatever the young man did to him, he'd probably deserved. What compelled him to take such a forbidden approach; his comrade that fought with the others against the horrors of the terrorist group. Even though, Albert's expression explained everything to, Jet, Albert began to speak with a tearful expression in his eyes. "I..should probably leave" Albert, slowly backed away. Jet, reached out for his wrist and pulled him back. He'd gotten up quickly; he held his wrist for a long time everything feeling awkward now. Jet could hardly stand to be in his own skin. He spoke slowly now out of his heart at this point his mind officially gone for the remainder of the day, "I.. just wasn't expecting that of you, …but I didn't ask you to leave."


End file.
